Polly C

I love the written word, the ability to catch an idea; moment or experience and share it with others. On Hubpages, I have written about several different topics - it is indeed the only place where I have published poetry. I like to write poems which can be easily understood and in which the language is simple enough to be dissected by the masses.

Recently, I have written about issues around separation, divorce and single parenting, following the breakdown of my twenty year relationship.

Travel is another big love of mine - I believe that visiting different places and cultures helps you to grow as a person. There are not many countries I wouldn't head to if I had the money.

Polly is my pseudonym - my real name is Rachel. Athough I only use 'Polly' as a writing name these days, it was once a nickname given to me at work - everyone addressed me by it for years and some still do. So, it is an identity that I feel comfortable with - it derives from the iconic comedy series Fawlty Towers, following a joke at work one day.

I live in the UK, in the gorgeous city of Norwich, with two sons and two mad kittens.

Accolades

Look to my heart, past my face, shaking hands,
Past the bones that defy me, these legs that can't stand,
Then tell me the truth, what is it you see?
Can you still see the person I used to be?
Can you glimpse the soft sparkle behind my eyes,...

Stand in my shoes,
Just for one moment,
Just for one day.
Stand in my shoes,
Feel my heart beat,
Hear what I say.
Can you breathe the same air
Through the thick, acrid smoke,
Run through the street
As the noise chokes your hope,
...

Single parenting can be hard and all-consuming. Sometimes, we single parents lose ourselves without even realising it. Have you lost the real you, somewhere beneath the relentless reality of parenting alone? Here is now to find yourself again.

Look to my heart, past my face, shaking hands,
Past the bones that defy me, these legs that can't stand,
Then tell me the truth, what is it you see?
Can you still see the person I used to be?
Can you glimpse the soft sparkle behind my eyes,...

During August 2013 we took our two children to Italy. It had been a toss up between that and the Greek Islands, but after a bit of deliberation we chose the Italian shores. We wanted a trip that combined sightseeing with the coast, and whilst Greek...

Recently, I attended a performance of the famous West End musical, Evita, which is currently touring around the UK. It was a show I had always wanted to see, my enthusiasm partly inspired by various renditions of "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina". After...

Our pets are so often a much-loved additional member of the family. Sometimes they really do feel like our best friends, lavishing us with affection and devotion no matter what. We can form strong bonds with our pets - the cat I grew up with from...

We first visited the London Dungeon on 31 May, 2013. I was aware that the attraction had recently relocated from Tooley Street to the South Bank - however, since I had never encountered the original setting, I am unable to make a comparison. My...

I wrote this poem in about ten minutes, following a very frazzled morning spent getting my son out of the door and to school on time. As many a parent will know, the morning school run can, at times, seem like momentous challenge, especially when...

The TV talent show has become an ingrained feature of modern day viewing. Every year, hundreds of thousands of hopefuls around the world turn up with hopes and dreams of stardom. Many are talented, a few will go on to become the next 'big thing'. A...

Most of us like a bargain. Add that to the struggling economic climate that means a lot of us now have less disposable income than ten years ago, and searching for the best price becomes even more important. The popularity of the internet means...

She looks through the window,
So far, she can see.
The horizon, it beckons,
The sunset, it bleeds.
A symbol of freedom,
A wild scope of hope,
Possibilities, endless -
Destiny's smoke.
She knows not how she'll get there
But one...

When it comes to technology, the internet and world wide web is surely the biggest development of the last century. It has changed our lives almost beyond imagination, and in a relatively short space of time. For a great many of us, it has become...

My son, aged 12, is a big fan of Xbox. Or maybe I should say was a fan of Xbox. He especially liked chatting and playing games with his friends using Xbox Live - until last week, that is, when he went to log on only to find that his account had been...

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
"Beauty comes from within"
"Beauty is skin deep"
(popular quotes regarding beauty)
It is a debatable topic, and perhaps a very personal one. How does one define beauty? Many of us spend...

I have been intrigued by the concept of the 'artistic mind' for a long time. As someone who has loved writing from a very early age, I find that creating poems, song lyrics and stories comes quite naturally. I do, however, often have difficulty with...

This is an inspiring poem about looking to the future with optimism and hope. It is about leaving behind what is no longer needed in life, instead stepping forwards with a new mindset and renewed courage.

Below are the lyrics I have written for a song about falling in love again. It is an unexpected love - the character in the song has turned to a friend for company after the break-up of another relationship. The two friends have known one another...

This is a love song of soul and hope. The musician finds it easier to express love and feeling using music and song, rather than by speaking. It's a stripped-back song, just the singer and the acoustic guitar. It is about honesty, feeling and...

This is a song about grieving for a relationship that has ended - about not wanting to let go and hoping for a chance to try again. It is a heartfelt song, expressing deep emotion and deep feeling. The tempo is quite slow. I don't write melody, so...

These are the lyrics I wrote to a ballad - like many songs, the words express the pain and heartache felt when relationship ends and one person is left grieving. In this example, it has probably ended due to death and the protagonist feels alone;...

I wrote this song at a time when I felt inspired to try my hand at lyric writing. I produced a handful of songs; all of them I heard in my mind as acoustic performances. This song, like the others, is about love and relationships - in this case,...

Stand in my shoes,
Just for one moment,
Just for one day.
Stand in my shoes,
Feel my heart beat,
Hear what I say.
Can you breathe the same air
Through the thick, acrid smoke,
Run through the street
As the noise chokes your hope,
...

For many of us, watching soap operas has become one of life's little rituals - a way to unwind at the end of the day. Women, in particular, often become hooked on these long-running television series. Some cannot bear to miss a single episode,...

Advertising on television can cost thousands (and thousands), just for that typical 30 seconds of air time during prime-time viewing. It is still thought of as the best way to reach millions of potential customers - after all, television is arguably...

A few days ago, I came across an article in the local newspaper. A man I had been at school with, more than twenty years ago, had been awarded an Emmy in America for his efforts in television arts. Whilst I was hugely impressed, I wasn't altogether...

Having spent many years serving behind the bars of the 'good ole British pub', as well as experiencing the general running of public houses on a temporary basis, I have definitely learned quite a bit about the management of such establishments. Not...

I had the most wonderful grandmother. Although she is no longer with us, there are few days that pass without her entering into my thoughts at least once. When a person touches your heart, they live forever in your soul.

In August 2012, we visited London for the day with our two children, aged 12 and 4. I love London and could quite easily spend a day there without doing much at all, but the children like to be occupied. Since we had already visited a number of...

This is a poem about love and life. Within the words, I have tried to capture the all-powerful emotions that accompany love and the essence of humanity. It is not a poem restricted to romantic love, but rather something that explores all avenues of love, from friendship, to family, to children -...

Last week, an advertisement in the local free newspaper caught my eye - an opportunity to earn extra money by delivering the new edition of the BT Phone Book for PDCUK. Since the extra money would come in useful, I decided to give it a try - after...

The following poem touches on the life of a celebrity. Today, our society seems fixated on the idea of being famous, and for seeking fame for fame's sake. Many people, especially the young, dream of a life in the public eye, which they see as...

I am not a celebrity. I am simply a writer with my own ideas, opinions and creative pursuits. Behind my words, you cannot see me, except for a small profile picture in the corner of the screen. If you saw me in the street, you would not recognise...

In the UK, the 1950s was a time of great social change. Free from the threat of World War II (apart from rationing, which still affected the early part of the decade) Britons could look forward with a new hope and optimism. The fifties saw the...

Nowadays, the vast majority of children (at least, the ones I know), have extra-curricular hobbies and activities. Some have multiple commitments and seem to have something going on nearly every day. However, overburdening a child can be detrimental...

If you close your eyes and imagine, for a moment, an idyllic childhood, what do you actually see? My guess is that you see happy, laughing children cavorting about without the need for electronic gadgets and video games. I'm willing to bet you can...

Today, as I was helping my four year old child to get dressed, I realised that I had failed once again. Yesterday I triumphed, and felt a rare surge of success. The task at hand? Finding my small son a matching pair of socks. In our house, searching...

I am a parent. I have two sons, one of which is almost 12 and the other who has yet to start school. Born in the 70s, I have seen society change quite a bit in the last forty years. I have lived a life filled with little technology, when compared to...

Will You Still Remember Me? is one of my first attempts at songwriting. As the lyrics suggest, it is a song about a relationship that started off full of optimism and lust - but somehow missed the mark and didn't last. Still, emotions don't just...

This is an article for anyone about to turn 40, who is wondering with trepidation just where all the time has gone. I wrote it from my own experience, as I share my own feelings of what it means to me, a woman about to hit the big '40'. Not many of...

Music is undoubtedly one of the most powerful mediums - perhaps even the most powerful of all. Enjoyed the world over, music engulfs us with subliminal messages and feelings, subtly playing with our emotions and affecting our moods. Music of varying...

Today I was watching yet another UK property programme portraying the dilemma of house over location. One young woman had spent a whole year living with a family member because she couldn't find a house she both liked and could afford in the 'right'...

When I was young and still living at home with my parents, there was no internet and no world wide web. We did have a computer, that had arrived in our home during the mid-eighties, but its functions were extremely basic when compared to the...

I was born at the beginning of the New Year in 1973. Suddenly, it seems like a very, very long time ago. Age does have a certain habit of creeping up on you in a way you thought it never would, teasing you with long days of eternal youth before one...

Happiness......
It is, perhaps, the ultimate quest in life. After all, almost every goal we ever have - every ambition; every dream; every desire - is, in our minds, part of the journey to achieve this state of being. There have been many debates...

My life -
A million pieces,
A puzzle, incomplete.
So many roads I've taken,
With trusting, hopeful feet.
Dreams have died,
Yet others bloomed,
No sense in looking back,
At times, the light shone brightly
Along my chosen track.
...

A journey.
It doesn't really matter
If you get there
Or not.
It's what you see
Along the way,
The feelings inspired
When the landscape
And your soul
Entwine.
It's someone else's smile
Breaking the illusion
Of your own life,
...

Whilst Christmas shopping for the children last month, I came across the Hexbug Nano. Perhaps I have been a bit out of the loop, but I had never even heard of the Hexbug, although I have since learned of their popularity. I checked out the reviews...

For anyone who is considering moving to Norwich - the historical capital of Norfolk - then it can be difficult to know exactly where to begin searching for a home. Like all cities, Norwich has good areas and areas that are less desirable. However,...

A year ago, my son (ten at the time) received the ultimate Christmas gift - an Xbox 360. In his eyes, this was the to-die-for console - all of his friends had one (an only slightly over-exaggarated statement) and if he did not join the throngs of...

This Christmas an Amazon Kindle sat waiting for me underneath the tree. I wasn't expecting it; hadn't hinted at even the merest desire for this technological alternative to the traditional book. In fact, I was rather opposed to it. For even though...

I can still remember the day we moved into our little Victorian terrace house. It was a sweltering day in the middle of August, and the beach would have been a better place to be. Travelling backwards and forwards across the city took all day and...

This is a creative article exploring the journey one makes through midlife and the feelings that can be experienced. Midlife throws up many questions, as we evaluate where we stand; where we have been and where we want to go... All of a sudden, I...

Playing board games as a family is an excellent way to bond. I remember many enjoyable Saturday evenings as a child, sat around the table with my parents and my sister, immersed in a game. We always ended up laughing and having fun. Playing board...

I am fifteen. Sometimes I wish I was five, like my little sister. Her life is so uncomplicated - all she does is laugh, whinge and play. When she falls out with her friends, it's all sorted out ten minutes later. No grudge; no resentment; no...

Not for one moment did you really think it would turn out this way. After all, you were always so well. You ate healthy food; vegetables freshly picked from the garden you loved. Perhaps you would love it still, if only the weeds were gone and...

A world of peeling paint and mildew,
Where things stop working like clapped out minds.
Looking across desolate concrete,
I wonder why hope is so hard to find,
I wonder where dreams go,
When the dreamer gives up and looks the other way
...

Below are the first song lyrics I have ever written. I have been wanting to attempt to write lyrics for a while, because I love music, especially music with good lyrics. After all, music is a universal medium; perhaps the most powerful of all.
I...

This is a poem about lost love; about those empty, lonely feelings from which one finds it difficult to escape when a relationship breaks down. It is about the grieving you feel when something you thought was special is suddenly marred and taken...

I can still remember the day I wrote this poem, even though it was several years ago now. I had walked into the city centre, as I had done so many times before. A pedestrian bridge rises above a busy road - for most of the time I have been living...

There is no doubt about it, the Master of Horror, Darren Shan, is a prolific writer with a huge teenage (and even pre-teen) following. My son is only ten, and yet he has been hooked on Shan's books for the past eighteen months - so far he has read...

This is a poem written by my son. He wrote it at school, just a few months ago when he was 10. The children had been involved in a classroom discussion about bullying, after which their task was to write a poem on the subject. It must be said that...

Just recently, I have been listening to Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album (deluxe version) on my trusty Ipod. Of course, it is now more than a month since Winehouse passed away in her Camden Square home. Her death was perhaps shocking, although...

A day spent exploring the medieval history of England can be both an enjoyable and educational experience, as we found out earlier this week. The late-August bank holiday saw us heading up to the Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham in Norfolk,...

In recent years, TV talent shows have burst onto our screens with a vengeance. With most showing ordinary members of the public competing for a large monetary prize, they are only increasing in popularity. Simon Cowell's hugely popular UK X Factor...

Last week we decided to take the children on a day trip to London. After having acquired a free, two-month family railcard, I searched for a good rail offer, bought the tickets and we were all set to go.
Taking the children on a day trip to London...

Last August I took my family to Searles Leisure Resort in Hunstanton for the first time. Actually, Searles was not our intended destination at all. We had hoped to spend a few days at Kelling Heath, Weybourne, but had left the booking too late. ...

Although I live in Norwich, which is within easy reach of the splendours of North Norfolk, the first time I made the drive to Castle Rising was in August of last year. In fact, we were staying at the nearby Searles Holiday Resort in Hunstanton for...

If you're looking for somewhere in North Norfolk to take the family, then Bewilderwood near Wroxham, around 20 minutes by car from the city of Norwich, is a fantastic choice. Set in a 50 acre woodland estate, Bewilderwood is the creation of author...

This hub is a continuation of my previous hub, Creative Writing: Seeing the Stories in Life, which was intended to portray the concept of 'show, don't tell' in writing, and to explore the depths of characters which may initially be seen as a blank...

It has been suggested by some people I know, especially Londoners, that Norwich is situated somewhere in the Back of Beyond. Perhaps there is some truth in that - after all, it is only 1 hour 50 minutes by train from Liverpool Street, but can take...

For me, the term 'holiday' usually conjures up an image of taking my passport and heading abroad to experience another country; another culture. I love to see the way other people live their lives. I love historical architecture; imposing mountains;...

This is an article based upon the art of creative writing. It attempts to show some of the subtle but important tools used in story-telling. Here, I have skimmed the stories of character's lives by looking at the little clues which allow us to look behind the surface. Buildings, expressions and...

It must have been around twenty five years or more since I first visited Pettitts Animal Adventure Park. It was brand new, then, and I was just a child. Pettitts was nothing but a few animals grazing in grassy enclosures - at least, that is how I...

In the East of England, on the tip of the North Norfolk Coast, sits the village of Wells-Next-the-Sea. It is, perhaps, our favourite place in Norfolk - many a time we have made the hours drive at the drop of a hat, with a picnic in a cooler bag and...

Zlatni Rat Beach, rated one of the best beaches in the world, is a great place to spend a few hours, but the surrounding towns are no less charming. Join me on a virtual tour of Bol, Skrip, and Pucisca.

Tonight I am watching Sport Relief on BBC1. It is a lot like Comic Relief, with the emphasis on sport instead of comedy. Celebrities and ordinary citizens are raising money to help disadvantaged children, both at home in the UK and in developing...

As parent to an energetic two-year-old, our house is bursting to the brim with toys. A few are loved; most are rotting in a toy box, taken out only for the occasional play.
Out of all my two-year-old's toys, my favourite is definitely his Ladybird...

A few days ago I was at a birthday party for two-year-old twins when one of the other parents brought up the topic of 'sugar'. There were cakes in abundance and she had decided that her children had 'had enough'. A fair decision, since they are only...

How many of us have a dream? How many of us have an idealistic view of life, tucked away in the backs of our minds, that occasionally resurfaces to remind us of who we really wanted to be? How many of us are working in a job we find unfulfilling,...

Last August we visited Legoland, Windsor, for the first time. My oldest child was nine and had always wanted to go. In fact, most of his friends had already been there but, sadly, he had not. Well, as my son is an avid fan of all things Lego, we...

'No Time' is a poem about the modern era; about how our lives and daily demands leave many of us with little time to truly enjoy life; to sit back and appreciate the the things we really love.
No Time
I push through the chaos,
My mind...

I wrote this poem a while back, before I had children. Seeing differents parts of the world was something that was really important to me. I loved (and still do, though the opportunites have become less) the excitement and anticipation of...

Whether we know it or not, almost as soon as our delightful bundle of joy arrives red-faced and screaming into the world, we have unwittingly become members of the Cluttered House Club. Gone are the days when our home is our pride and joy; where...

These days, everyone seems to want something. Women want the latest fashions; men want the newest gadgets; children are desperate for the toys and computer games they are exposed to through advertising. Driving through the city on a Saturday or...

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

This is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)

Google AdSense Host API

This service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

This is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Facebook Login

You can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Maven

This supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)

We may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.

Conversion Tracking Pixels

We may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.

Statistics

Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)